“Measure your life in Terms of what Happens today and tomorrow; In Terms of Values, you can add” – Prof. Agbaje Affirms

Prof. Adigun Agbaje, the former deputy vice-chancellor(Academics) University of Ibadan recently hinted on how campus journalism can remain firmly staunch in spite of the inconveniences it encounters in a community like the University of Ibadan.

He disclosed the above statement on Saturday 21st of July, 2018 at the recently concluded Journalism workshop of the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan(UCJUI) which occurred in the small lecture theatre(SLT, room 32), Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

In addition, Prof. Adigun Agbaje commended the courage of the writer of an article written as regards the unfair payment of the suspended student union’s fee. He further disclosed that the article made a difference as a result of which the vice-chancellor who was oblivious of the issue until the published article had taken step concerning avoiding its recurrence as well as refunding the fees.

Earlier, amidst the event, one of the guest lecturer, Mr Taiwo Obe, director of The Journalism Clinic began his talk titled “Create a compelling content in the digital age
by affirming that there is always a story behind a story.” This was said to clue the
audience on what defines Journalism. “Curiosity is the life of a journalist.

“He added while emphasising Journalism as a profession that reveals puzzling facts behind every event. He further said that journalists” curiosity about things happening around them is followed by gathering information and facts about an event which eventually synthesize
into a story.

According to Mr Taiwo Obe in his comment on how people are looking for
information to keep their lives going, he asserted that “our life is about finding answers to questions.”

In his conclusion, Mr Taiwo Obe enumerated the fundamental springs of compelling stories which he said were curiosity, a gathering of facts or information, conversation, imagination, context, among others.

On News and features writing, another guest speaker, Mr. Kolade Habeeb, former Editor-in-chief of Independence press organisation said that a healthy news should be on an event that sparks people’s interest. He added that conciseness and simplicity of a
price of news defines its quality.

Speaking on how to gather information for news stories, he said that “it is the power of one’s network that makes one a good journalist on campus and not one being everywhere.” In his address on writing articles that correct societal ills, he enjoins the audience “to have the mind to construct and not destroy.” He added that journalists should avoid defamatory articles sourced from individual’s
biasness.

Also, Mr. Oredola Ibrahim, former president of UCJUI addressed how to deal with a dilemma story, he advised the the audience not to write any opinion without fact. According to him, “don’t write a rumoured story, instead investigate the story.”

“When you fight, you fight with reasoning such that you throw a stone and no one knows where it is coming from” he added. He further enjoins the audience to be cognizant of such
virtues as fairness, humanity, truth, privacy, among others.